episode_0043

Lacia looked at the maid submerged in the water.

The water floating in the air swung in an oval the size of a person, and the maid who entered it was swimming in it.

‘Water Crown’, an elemental art that can only be performed by a spiritist who has made a contract with a high-ranking water spirit.

Although it depends on the level of the spirit, it was one of the extreme meanings of spirit magic that can heal anything as long as it does not die.

It was an elemental art that could heal not only physical wounds but also mental wounds if one took the time, and there were extremely few people on the entire continent who could practice it, so they could be treated as VIPs everywhere.

For Lacia, it was just a simple thing that had been possible since she was young.

“Thank you for helping Sally, Princess Lacia.”

“… … … Well, it’s between me and Kyle.”

“Of course, board game friends are the best.”

“… … … … .”

How can I make it so that only her name comes out of that mouth and not the board game?

Just like synchronizing with a spirit, if Kyle Byron also becomes a spirit, wouldn’t he be able to be her only ‘friend’?

Although the maid and wizard were allowed into the spire, Lacia was still afraid of people. More than I was afraid, I didn’t want to meet him.

──Are you Lachia? cute.

──Who are you?

──I… … He’s your uncle.

‘also.’

Every time I see a person other than a spirit, the memory of that time comes to mind. Because I kept remembering it like a deeply embedded thorn.

Even my father was no exception. So far, the only one to get away with it is Kyle Byron.

Lacia doesn’t know the reason.

Why is it okay when I see Kyle? Why can I get closer to Kyle?

I don’t know why, but it didn’t matter anyway.

Because it was clear that only Kyle could be Lacia’s only ‘friend’.

Different from the spirits that are considered family.

friend.

‘Friend, friend, friend.’

Board game friend.

that.

It’s the same thing, right? Kyle thinks of each other the same way I do, right?

Lacia had no doubt about that.

I looked past Kyle, who was looking at the maid with worried eyes, and looked at the wizard behind him.

‘Wizard.’

Actually, that year was the most ambiguous.

Maids are blind. And since it is blind, it is easy to understand. It seemed difficult to get rid of Kyle because he was so dangerous and powerful, but even so, I wasn’t sure that it was impossible.

However, that wizard is different.

Her status as a high-ranking magician and archmage of the Magic Tower, her displeasure, but a way of speaking back, and the way she ends up gripping the handle of the chair, unlike the maid who is more direct in many ways.

Moreover, the attitude is unknown.

‘I do care about Kyle. but… … .’

The direction is different from that of the maid or Lacia.

It wasn’t blind, and it wasn’t pure friendship.

In addition, there was almost no change in facial expression, making it truly ambiguous.

Would it be okay to keep that wizard next to Kyle?

‘No way.’

Even Lacia, who had extremely limited social experience, could vaguely understand this. People like Kyle Byron are the ones who shine.

There is no woman other than Lacia who wouldn’t flirt with a man like that.

Because Lacia and Kyle were ‘friends’ that led to ‘friendship’.

In the end, both maids and wizards fail.

‘if it goes like this.’

I have no choice but to let her, my friend, remain by my side.

And for that too.

Kyle was not allowed to leave the duchy.

“… … Kyle, I just heard from the spirits that your father is looking for you.”

“Yes? Your Excellency the Duke? Why all of a sudden… … .”

“I guess you want to play a board game.”

“I’ll be there right away.”

Kyle immediately stood up and looked at the maid sleeping in the water and the wizard right next to him.

“Then Sally and Adela───”

“Please leave these people behind for a while.”

“Princess, are you okay?”

“Okay then. Here’s the board game Kyle made for me, right? It’s not like I don’t have anything to talk about.”

chamberlain.

Things that only women should tell.

“So, come back.”

“Princess… … !!”

Kyle looked purely happy. It seemed like Lacia seemed to have shown great courage.

Or maybe I was happy about the board game story.

Actually, it didn’t matter either way. Kyle’s gaze, which had only been looking at the maid a moment ago, was now focused on Lacia.

Those eyes, that smile.

Someday, even that warmth.

“Wizard, you too?”

“… … Yes.”

“Even Adela… … Well sir! Have fun playing board games!”

The wizard, who had been looking at Kyle until the end, nodded, and Kyle also waved his hand with a bright smile and hurried down the spire.

On the way back, I asked the spirits to see me off. Even if there is a sound, it will block it.

Now all that’s left is.

“Stop acting and get up.”

Chop rock!

“… … … Damn, bitch.”

“Is it just you?”

“… … … … … .”

The maid, who had already come to her senses, was thrown out of the water.

He just glared at the still expressionless wizard.

Like this, three people gathered together.

They originally recognized each other, but at the time, because Lacia was in sync, they could only see each other indirectly.

They were hostile to each other, stabbed each other with knives, and insulted each other.

Three women who are very different from each other.

The maid, spiritist, and wizard looked at each other.

In that place where someone is caressing a dagger, someone is leaving all kinds of spirits behind, and someone is still expressionless.

The spiritist took out a card.

“That is.”

“Do, the master made it… … .”

“Spirit Poker. It’s too much of a game for you.”

“What is your purpose?”

“Because I hate breaking promises. You told Kyle, right? The girls said they would play board games together.”

The tips of the wizard’s eyebrows rose slightly. It seemed like he didn’t even believe that was true.

The maid also looked dissatisfied… … I was still breathing hard, and more than anything, I couldn’t take my eyes off the card Kyle had made.

“So, you won’t do it?”

“… … … … .”

“… … … … … .”

In fact, the answer was decided.

A total of three chairs were placed in a circle along the table, including another chair that the spirits brought from somewhere.

The three women sat on the chairs without saying a word.

This might be the coolest board game in the world.

No words were spoken until the Spirit Master shuffled and distributed the Spirit Poker cards.

Naturally, it was the spiritist who picked up the card first.

“… … … … .”

Since we tried it once before, the maids and wizards should know the rules. Even though they were annoying, they were definitely not stupid bitches.

The maid seemed suspicious of the current situation, and the wizard still maintained a blank expression.

In an atmosphere that felt like it might explode at any moment.

The spiritist placed a card in front of the maid.

“This is.”

And, of course, if it’s obvious.

“It’s love.”

“… … … !!”

The spirit master.

I had no intention of playing a board game with these two.

… … Even more so, the spirit poker that is precious to her.

“What are you doing… … ?”

“Why? You know the rules of spirit poker, right? You just have to guess whether what I said was a lie or not. Isn’t it simple?”

“… … … … .”

This is elemental poker, but not elemental poker.

Rather, the spiritist was nothing more than a maid and wizard tied together in the form of a board game.

What if you run away from a question? Rather good. Because in the end, that’s all she can do. As a friend, I cannot tolerate this.

What if you answer the question? You must respond to the spiritist’s words. Of course, no matter what the answer is, it is absolutely unacceptable as a friend.

And at the point where the question is ‘love’.

It was no exaggeration to say that there was at least no chance of this blind maid escaping.

“Sa, do you love me? Oh, you?”

“You just have to answer. Is it true or false?”

“Ha.”

‘Of course I would say yes.’

The reason why I had to answer a known fact in the form of spirit poker was to serve as a warning.

It was she who suggested playing spirit poker, and she was the one who broke the rules.

It was a warning to get away from Kyle when he said something nice.

The maid tilted her head for a moment at that warning.

“… … … … .”

She took out the dagger hidden inside the maid uniform and stroked it.

Always caressing the sharp blade as if in ecstasy.

Kwasik!

“Wow, that’s a stupid question. And, you voyeuristic beast.”

“… … … .”

“Do you love him?”

The maid laughed. At the same time, the maid’s breathing became heavier.

Unlike a moment ago when I was panicking like I was having a seizure.

This time, it seemed like it was genuinely funny.

“No.”

“… … … … What?”

I denied it.

The spirit master shed doubts at the unexpected answer. The only thing that remained the same was the expressionless wizard.

‘That’s not love?’

At least it wouldn’t have been possible if the wizard had answered that way, but wasn’t the maid more blind and easier to understand than anyone else?

The maid stuck a dagger in the middle of the table.

He continued speaking, tearing the corner of his mouth.

“This is not just love or anything like that. Buy, love? under! Ooh, that’s funny.”

“What do you want to say?”

“Well, that’s the limit of a bitch like you. I can’t believe I define my feelings with things like love.”

Sigh.

The maid pulls out a dagger.

He glanced at the handle and the blade as if loving it.

“This is.”

After correcting the words I kept stuttering.

The maid, whose expression changed from endless ecstasy to a deadpan expression, concluded.

“It’s reverence.”

“… … … … .”

“… … … … … .”

“Bachelor, master, master. Master Kyle. Great Master Kyle. The great Master Kyle. Excellent Master Kyle.”

──Feelings for that person.

“Is there anything else besides reverence? Love is small. It’s so small. At best, I can’t express everything I have with such insignificant feelings!!!”

Kwasik!

“So, the answer to a petty beast like you is… … It’s false.”

“… … … … .”

I look at the dagger that was once again stuck on the table and has now completely pierced the table.

That was definitely an unexpected answer.

Why?

“But, you.”

“… … … … … .”

“You left a scar on Kyle, right?”

The spirit priest and maid were funny.

To say something like that to someone who left such a scar on Kyle.

It’s so ridiculous.

“… … … Yes, that’s right.”

“Really?”

“Well, so… … Me at that time, me. I can never forgive you.”

“Why don’t you kill your past self? Then you wouldn’t be where you are now.”

“Hehe, hehe. Jae, that was a funny comment. You beast bitch. Well, then.”

Okay.

Next turn.

The maid threw the overturned card at the spiritist.

Anyway, it seems like it doesn’t matter if you can see the front.

“What about you?”

“… … … … .”

“Sa, is it love?”

“That can’t be possible.”

love.

The spirit priest immediately denied it. That’s right.

Because she had seen the feeling called love.

He didn’t do it himself, but rather she was the target.

I knew very well how ugly and twisted that feeling was.

‘It’s disgusting, it’s horrible.’

That’s why they were even more hostile towards maids and wizards. If they have feelings of love for Kyle, then it’s clear… … The tragedy that happened to her will also happen.

A feeling that should not exist in the world and is, above all, disgusting and ugly.

The spirit master was sure that that was love.

so.

“This is friendship.”

“Woo, friendship?”

“Of course, it is a noble friendship that no one like you can imitate.”

I was able to answer that question without a single hesitation.

Even as the maid’s eyes narrowed and a sneer appeared on her lips.

The spirit master found it funny that the maid didn’t know what love and friendship were.

“Then.”

The person who received the card was a spirit priest. So the next turn was hers.

I placed a card that could possibly be my last.

In front of the wizard who maintains a blank expression despite all of this.

“How about you? Wizard.”

“… … … … … .”

“Is this love?”

What will the wizard answer?

As if it wasn’t just the spiritist who was curious, the maid also turned her head towards the wizard.

The wizard kept a blank expression until the end.

“As expected, it’s just as I thought.”

“What?”

“… … … W-what?”

“You two are dangerous people to be around that man.”

“… … … .”

“… … … … .”

“I have no choice but to protect that man.”

“Yes, your kajit crab? W-what qualifications? The bitch who threatened you.”

“More than anything, can you protect it? Really?”

The maid laughs, and the spiritist warns.

It seemed like the dagger and the spirit would head towards the wizard at any moment.

The wizard was just indifferent.

“That’s my atonement for that man, so don’t worry about it. And the power is enough.”

“Joe, you fucking bitches… … .”

“Both of them are ridiculous.”

In the end, everyone answered ‘no’ when asked if it was love.

Spirit Poker ended in a draw with no one taking the lead.

Awe, friendship, atonement.

The maids, spiritists, and wizards had hearts that were as different as each other.

We glared at each other like that.

… … Until one day, Kyle Byron returns to the Spire.

Without saying anything.

continue.

*

“This is the spirit of fire!”

“… … No!”

“No, do you guess this!? this… … .”

“Hehe, 1 win and 1 loss with this. By the way, Kyle Byron, shouldn’t you go back to the Spire soon? As I said before, I have never called you.”

“Your Excellency the Duke, you seem clueless in this regard. Right now, Princess Lacia is happily making same-sex friends. Both Sally and Adela are good people, and more than anything, anyone can become friends with a board game.”

“You got closer to Lacia through that board game, so I have nothing to say.”

“That’s it. By the way, it’s 1-1, shouldn’t we play one more round?”

“… … I understand. This is a game you made for your daughter.”

“Good!”

“Yes! Ah, but when are you going to return to the spire?”

“Well, that is.”

“I’ll go back around evening, okay.”